Raekwon – Okayplayerhttp://www.okayplayer.com
Hip Hop Music, Audio, Video, Reviews, News, Interviews, Blogs and Discussion BoardSat, 10 Dec 2016 02:03:35 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1Raekwon To Release A New Album Next Yearhttp://www.okayplayer.com/news/raekwon-to-release-a-new-album-next-year.html
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/raekwon-to-release-a-new-album-next-year.html#commentsMon, 28 Nov 2016 17:38:41 +0000http://www.okayplayer.com/?p=109631Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon has announced a new album that is slated for a 2017 release. The rapper took to his Twitter to make the keep reading »

The rapper took to his Twitter to make the announcement, confirming that the record is complete but not offering any other information about it.

The Chef’s last album was 2015’s Fly International Luxurious Art. Raekwon’s sixth album, Luxurious Art was a 13 track release that found the artist working with a number of guests including fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, as well as A$AP Rocky; Snoop Dogg; Busta Rhymes and French Montana.

When he served as a guest on Sway In The Morning, RZA was asked by a fan if Raekwon and Method Man would be making an appearance on the next Wu album, to which he responded: “You’ve gotta address those questions to Ghostface Killah. He’s taken control over that.”

He then elaborated, saying “I told Ghost, if y’all want to do it again, let’s put it in his hands. He’s been the most prolific, the one that’s really got two feet on the ground in music. Let the best qualified man go ahead and do the job.”

If you really, really have to listen to some new Wu, well you can consult Martin Shkreli. The ex pharmaceutical executive leaked a track from the Wu’s mysterious Once Upon A Time In Shaolin album, following Donald Trump’s presidential election win.

RZA did not have any regret or ill will when selling the album to Shkreli. During an interview with Bloomberg earlier this year the artist said “[Martin Shkreli] bought it, he can do what he wants,” adding that “Art— the beautiful thing about art, from my standpoint, is that it has no discrimination.”

]]>http://www.okayplayer.com/news/raekwon-to-release-a-new-album-next-year.html/feed1ATTN: Rappers, Ghostface Killah & Raekwon Are Selling An Opening Slot For Their Tourhttp://www.okayplayer.com/news/attn-rappers-ghostface-killah-raekwon-are-selling-an-opening-slot-for-their-tour.html
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/attn-rappers-ghostface-killah-raekwon-are-selling-an-opening-slot-for-their-tour.html#commentsThu, 30 Jun 2016 17:05:23 +0000http://www.okayplayer.com/?p=103383This summer, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon will embark on their nationwide Ragu tour. And while this certainly a moment to rejoice for Shaolin fanatics, it appears you keep reading »

This summer, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon will embark on their nationwide Ragu tour. And while this certainly a moment to rejoice for Shaolin fanatics, it appears you too could be joining them onstage…if you’ve got the bankroll to make it happen, that is. In a surprising move, the duo is selling an opening slot for each stop on their tour.

That’s right. For the (somewhat) reasonable price of $1,100 USD, you could open for Pretty Tony and The Chef with a 15-minute set, which seems a little steep for any struggle or non-struggle emcee in the game, but it also offers rappers a a platform to get themselves heard, not to mention a sliver of the merch table to plug their gear and mixtapes. The tour launches on July 26th in Portland at Crystal Ballroom, continuing on to cover most of the continental US of A, with NYC suspiciously absent from the schedule. In any case, rappers take heed. This could be your opportunity to break through, not to mention, bless the air with Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. Peep the dates below.

]]>http://www.okayplayer.com/news/attn-rappers-ghostface-killah-raekwon-are-selling-an-opening-slot-for-their-tour.html/feed3Raekwon & Ghostface Killah Are Hitting The Road Together This Summerhttp://www.okayplayer.com/news/raekwon-ghostface-killah-summer-2016-tour-dates.html
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/raekwon-ghostface-killah-summer-2016-tour-dates.html#commentsWed, 25 May 2016 19:09:48 +0000http://www.okayplayer.com/?p=101465The summer’s about to got a whole lot warmer. Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, hip-hop’s Bash Brothers, have just announced that they’ll embark upon the aptly-names keep reading »

The summer’s about to got a whole lot warmer. Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, hip-hop’s Bash Brothers, have just announced that they’ll embark upon the aptly-names RAGU tour this July, hitting most corners of the country with their heralded stage shows. Seeing as how we’ve yet to have any movement on the DOOMSTARKS front (*shakes fist at the sky*) this should certainly hold you over. Curiously, there’s no NYC dates announced just yet, but there is the promise of more dates to be revealed in the weeks to come. Peep Ghostface Killah and Raekwon’s full tour schedule down below. Keep your eyes on us for updates on that damn DOOMSTARKS piece.

Today, good people, Raekwon turns a solid 46 years young. But instead of us ensconcing the man in tokens of our admiration and appreciation, The Chef has dropped off a cold new loosie for you to mess up your face with. Rae teams with a grip of reggae stars on the title-track to the forthcoming, 23-years-in-the-making ski film BE Inspired, which features production from Winta James (who, as the homies over at LargeUp pointed out, is known for his collaborations with Chronixx and Protoje) as well as some hard-spun lyricism from Kabaka Pyramid and, of course, The Chef himself.

Stream the latest Raekwon below and if you’re looking to catch your boy live and direct, he’ll be hitting the stage with Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Redman Joey Bada$$ and more at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado on April 19th. Go figure. BE Inspired is currently slated for a fall release, but seeing as how we’re in the third decade of waiting on the film, there’s a chance we might not get to put our eyes on it before 2020. Hopefully we wont’ have to wait that long for Raekwon’s FILA follow-up.

Not like he didn’t warn you, butBusta Rhymes‘ sonic stocking stuffer The Abstract Went On Vacation has arrived, as promised, on Christmas Day. Joining the legend for this quickly realized sequel-ish project is a far more star-powered roster than any could have imagined, featuring living and soon-t0-be luminaries like MF DOOM, Raekwon, Jadakiss, Styles P, Mary J. Blige, Chance The Rapper, BJ The Chicago Kid, Wiz Khalifa and plenty of others. Oh, and unlike certain other projects that have been billed “mixtape” this year, yet have you copping them on iTunes, this one is, in fact, a mixtape and is available for your to stream and download for free down below. It should be noted that Chano’s feature, “Hello,” is perhaps one of his best lyrical performances, period, and is done so over a nod to Luniz‘s mid-90s slapper “I Got 5 On It.” Then there’s “In The Streets,” where a rare DOOM verse lands over a Dilla gem…so yeah, this joint’s a most-hear. Slip into the year-end haze with Busta Rhymes’ new tape down and see if you can’t shake this thing off.

Over the summer, Method Man returned with the rugged and raw on his The Meth Lab LP, wrangling some Wu-Tang alum and some Shaolin locals for the stud outing. Amongst those fiery 19 tracks laid a brilliant, generation-bridging salute to Raekwon‘s classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, aptly-titled “The Purple Tape.” The track finds not one, but two Raekwons (Mef’s son was adorned with his partner-in-rhyme’s namesake) blessing the mic along with Inspectah Deck.

Today, however, we’re happy to lay our eyes on a new clip for the single, finding the whole fam at what appears to be an in-studio party, decked-out in properly purple attire with young Rae delivering the hook while floating around on a Skywalker (no it’s not a hover board.) And so, we have a true family affair on our hands, both in blood and arms. Peep the hard-knocking new video for Method Man’s “The Purple Tape” down below along with his forthcoming tour dates. Grab a copy of The Meth Lab on iTunes today.

]]>http://www.okayplayer.com/news/method-man-raekwon-inspectah-deck-the-purple-tape-video.html/feed1The FBI Investigated The Wu-Tang Clan For Murder In 1999http://www.okayplayer.com/news/the-fbi-investigated-the-wu-tang-clan-for-murder-in-1999.html
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/the-fbi-investigated-the-wu-tang-clan-for-murder-in-1999.html#respondWed, 04 Nov 2015 18:16:09 +0000http://www.okayplayer.com/?p=94509Two Wu-Tang Clan members were implicated in an FBI murder investigation dating back to 1999, according to new reports from the Staten Island Advance. Specifically, keep reading »

Two Wu-Tang Clan members were implicated in an FBI murder investigation dating back to 1999, according to new reports from the Staten Island Advance. Specifically, RZA and Raekwon were implicated in the death of 17-year-old Jerome “Boo Boo” Estrella.

The SI Advance’s documents a complicated and extensive investigation, in which the victim was alleged to have robbed family members of both RZA and Raekwon. They report:

A federal jury last October found brothers Anthony and Harvey Christian guilty of running a 20-year drug-dealing dynasty in the Park Hill Apartments in Clifton, and found Anthony Christian guilty of orchestrating the June 19, 1999 murder of 17-year-old Jerome (Boo Boo) Estella.

Anthony Christian’s lawyer, Michael Gold, is now contending that an FBI file alleges Estella was slain “at the instruction of members of the Wu-Tang Clan, a rap group, as revenge for robberies,” and is asking for “all police files” pertaining to his murder, and the killing of a second man, Corey (Shank Bank) Brooker.

“These reports seem to suggest someone else was liable for those murders. I’m not suggesting that Wu-Tang committed these crimes. The FBI did,” Gold told the paper. “What I’m trying to ascertain is their stated belief in an official file that Wu-Tang ordered this homicide.”

Brooker allegedly robbed RZA’s brother, along with Raekwon’s cousin in the weeks leading up to the murder, and (depending on who you believe) was put under a $30,000 killing contract by RZA. Prosecutors in the case, however, have asserted that Anthony Christian was the responsibly party in Estrella’s murder, and argue that the Wu Tang Clan had no direct, culpable connection to the killing. Read the full story (including extensive federal paperwork) over at the SI Advance.

On August 1st of this year, Raekwon‘s classic solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx turned a whopping 20-years-young, as timeless today as it was back in ’95. And while the album’s big 2-0 has certainly had its share of celebrations throughout the course of the year (with a 20th anniversary tour and a lavish Diadora sneaker collaboration already under its belt) today The Chef revealed that the festivities will move onward and upward with a fitting, limited edition purple tape reissue of The Purple Tape, packaged into two separate but wholly dope bundles. Both packages come with the famed purple tape and a sprawling 116-page book of liner notes, lyrics and rare photos, all housed in a decadent watch box fit for such prized piece. One bundle also includes the equally purple 2xLP vinyl set to go along with your cassette, a necessary and proper complimentary piece. There is, however, but one drawback: there will only be 1,995 (duh) pressings made available, so you’ll have to lock your copies in now ahead of the December ship-out. Hit GetOnDown to preorder your commemorative copy of Raekwon’s purple tape today. Peep the packages down below.

It’s always a good day at HQ when we’re graced with some new sounds or sights from the mighty Method Man. Today he’s gifted us the NYC-repping lyric video for The Meth Lab standout “The Purple Tape” which obviously borrows its name from Raekwon‘s classic solo debut Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, but that’s just fine, as the Chef himself graces the cut alongside fellow Wu alum Inspectah Deck. The clip captures sweeping shots of Manhattan’s silhouette as the bars bleed out onto the screen, making sure that you hear and know each and every syllable to each and every blazing bar that’s delivered. So consider this your companion script to a heater whose lyrical density stacks up to some of the greats. If you’ve yet to indulge in the rugged and raw delight of Method Man’s The Meth Lab LP, we encourage you to hit iTunes at your earliest convenience. If you need a little nudge, just click play. You’ll know what to do.

]]>http://www.okayplayer.com/news/method-man-raekwon-inspectah-deck-the-purple-tape-lyric-video.html/feed0Marvel Flips Raekwon, Kendrick Lamar & Kool Keith In Latest Batch Of Variant Covershttp://www.okayplayer.com/news/marvel-remix-covers-raekwon-kendrick-lamar-kool-keith.html
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/marvel-remix-covers-raekwon-kendrick-lamar-kool-keith.html#respondFri, 11 Sep 2015 19:57:49 +0000http://www.okayplayer.com/?p=92122Marvel‘s on a roll and there may be no stopping them. Over the last few months, the comic company has brought us a dazzling array keep reading »

Marvel‘s on a roll and there may be no stopping them. Over the last few months, the comic company has brought us a dazzling array of variant comic covers, fitting their towering roster of characters and narratives to some of hip-hop’s most iconic pieces of album art. This week they’ve relinquished yet another batch, blasting thee pieces from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Kool Keith and the mighty Raekwon with their newly rendered illustrations. Kendrick’s insta-classic To Pimp A Butterfly gets fit with the faces of Guardians Of The Infinity, while Kool Keith’s Black Elvis/Lost In Space finds Venom donning its cover, while a revamped Hulk graces the cover of Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, all of which make for a brilliant extension on what has already an inarguably dope series that we can’t wait to see finally hit shelves next month. But with New York Comic Con invading the city from October 8-11, there might very well be a few extra surprises in the in the hip-hop realm of comic book craziness. Check out the freshly-flipped takes on To Pimp A Butterfly (above,) Only Built 4 Cuban Linx and Black Elvis/Lost In Space. Jump back to catch up with Marvel’s full line.